Gakupo's Self
by shn1010
Summary: A Vocaloid one shot


Everything would soon be burned to ashes. But the pit of hell was not the source of fire. Gakupo's blood too was boiling, with utmost passion. He imagined so many situations. It was he everyone always judged. He began collecting the scattered memories in his mind.

Gakupo was always the odd one out. He was the one who had the deepest singing voice among all the musicians in Cobalt. Yet people often mistook him for a woman. Gakupo grew his hair long so that people would mistake him even more. Otherwise, no one would ever notice him. He would blend into oblivion. Gakupo needed attention because he had been devoid of it from ever since he could remember.

It was a day when there was no rain or wind. The air was so still. The sun soon grew so hot. Gakupo sat under a tree for shade. An arrow flung towards Gakupo, it missed him. Gakupo screamed and ran. And he kept running for at least half a day. The battle had just started.

He tried hiding in a forest. It was evening. Someone found him. He almost lunged his axe towards Gakupo. But an arrow went through the axe wielder. Gakupo trembled.

The archer said, "I saved your life and I will continue to do so. If you want to live, you must rid me of my burden."

It was a blue haired man.

Gakupo came to know that his name was Kaito, the same name as the King's first son. So he assumed he was royalty. In exchange for Kaito's strength and power, Gakupo would take his burden. The burden was that Gakupo would have to enter hell every few years. Anyone else would try to find an alternative path. But Gakupo thought Earth would be as bad as hell, if not worse.

He lived for two months as a false son. He cut his hair. No one questioned him, as if everyone was brainwashed. Or perhaps the prince had changed before. The "real" prince had driven off a long time ago.

The King soon died due to poison. No one knew who had done it.

And so Gakupo ruled the first two years with justice and righteousness. He didn't cut his hair as no one said anything. The kingdom went on fairly well. The only complaint people had was that he was a coward, and that he never put forward any venture.

Every night when Gakupo went to sleep, he thought of hell. Now that he had gotten used to his luxurious life, how would he go to the worst place in history? How would he survive?

During New Year's Eve, as Gakupo was drinking, the door thrust open.

An old man with a wooden stick walked into the room. Gakupo was not yet drunk. He took the cane and slapped it across Gakupo's back.

"How did you enter? Guards!" said Gakupo

"No guard can stop me. I am your Master. I am the one who controls hell. Come with me. It's your choice, whether you wish to disobey me and be forsaken with eternal hell. Or if you comply with me and live in hell for a few days." Said the old man

Gakupo dropped the wine glass. He solemnly stood up and faced the old man who called himself Master. He had grey skin and green eyes with a scar above his eyebrow.

Gakupo asked, "What will happen to the kingdom?"

Master said, "Time will remain frozen for as long as you stay in hell."

And so Gakupo found himself in the hole of hell, as he gripped onto an edge of a cliff. He refused to go to hell, he was innocent. Gakupo was a just ruler. He didn't deserve this.

"What did I do to deserve this?" said Gakupo

"It was you who wished for a royal life." Said Master

"I just wanted to save myself." Said Gakupo

"Lies." Said Master

There was definitely a misunderstanding. Perhaps Kaito had lied to master. Master soon disappeared from view. There was nothing to do.

And Gakupo lost hope. His hand lost strength. Gakupo was forced to let go.

"Life, if you do not love me, let me go." Whispered Gakupo

For the next few hours, Gakupo was in emotional turmoil. Sure, his skin had erupted, his organs exploded into bits, there was immense physical pain. But the worst was his mental state. He had never felt so many emotions at once. There was the memory of his father being shipwrecked. When they found him, he was already dead. His mother had married another man. Gakupo's stepfather used to beat him. He had run away from home and sang in the streets to beg for money. Every single time he went hungry, every moment he wished to be with someone, his loneliness, it was all there. All the negative emotions huddled together. There was only one emotion that was different- hope. Then he remembered how he was always different, just like this hope. Only he could be a good ruler, because he was different. But as soon as the emotional pain ended, the physical pain started. Gakupo stayed strong.

His time in hell finally ended. By the time Gakupo had crawled out, he was exhausted and couldn't move.

Gakupo found himself in his bed with a bandaged arm.

He heard someone say, "King Kaito may not live."'

"What are you all saying?" said Gakupo

Then his eyesight cleared. He found people celebrating. Some of them said they were relieved.

"What happened?" said Gakupo

"Your majesty, you were drunk and passed out in the garden, in front of your father's statue." Said one

Gakupo smiled weakly. He looked in the corner of the room. There was a girl.

"Who's that?" said Gakupo

"It's Princess Lia of the Kingdom of Sonority." Said someone

"Please, call me IA. My father wished to contact you to help us against the war of Crimson. I found you in a collapsed state while I was taking a walk in the garden." Said IA

Someone told Gakupo not to mind the lack of formality. Later on, Gakupo found out apparently she had only become the princess recently, due to her father killing the previous king and overtaking the throne. That meant there was little difference between the two of them. Gakupo wasn't born to be royalty.

Instead of helping the King of Sonority against the war, Gakupo instead tried to make peace. That resulted in the King of Sonority almost killing Gakupo, if it weren't for IA stopping him.

Gakupo told IA the tale of his life and IA didn't believe him. Gakupo was rather offended.

But to his surprise, IA's father came to Gakupo to offer his daughter's hand in marriage.

The father said, "I really do not wish my daughter to marry a coward like you. But your kingdom is prosperous, it may benefit us."

Gakupo, not knowing any woman for the past few years, gratefully accepted.

After one month of marriage, IA told him that it was her idea to marry Gakupo.

"Of course… Do you remember the story of my life, the one I told you?" said Gakupo

"Ah yes, that tale you made up to scare me." Said IA

"It's true." Said Gakupo

"Oh dear, no!" said IA

And when the time came, when Master arrived, IA was the only one left unfrozen. IA wept for the whole night.

As Gakupo entered hell again, for the first time, he knew that he had someone he loved. He couldn't stop worrying about her.

Soon, IA had tried to drown herself in the still waters. She was in a world with no one but herself. King Kaito, no Gakupo, was probably also gone.

But as she was about to fall into the water, the real Kaito appeared.

"Stop!" he said

"Who are you?" said IA

"I am the real Kaito."

Then he explained the deal to IA.

"Ever since I had transferred the burden from me to Gakupo, my soul has become Gakupo's servant, and I must aid him at the worst of times. I have been silently watching over him." Said Kaito

"Is Gakupo alright?" said IA

"Of course. If he dies, my soul too will cease to exist." Said Kaito

And Kaito left IA in the front of the lake.

Gakupo found IA next morning clutching onto him and crying loudly.


End file.
